The present invention relates to a laser beam projector for projecting a laser beam to a selected area on the skin for depilation or skin treatment.
Unwanted hair is removed from the body by applying depilatory cream to a selected area on the skin, and then, the depilatory area is exposed to a laser beam to allow melanin within the skin to absorb the very hot narrow beam of light, thereby causing protein denaturation in the skin texture by heating.
Thus, sebaceous glands and hair roots are damaged to harden the hair follicle texture. As a result the growth of hair is suppressed.
When a laser beam is projected to discolored pigment cells scattered in the outer or inner skin in the form of spots or freckles, they are heated to be divided in minute particles.
Discolored pigment cells thus divided come up to the skin surface, or otherwise, such minute particles are absorbed as waste products in blood vessels or lymphatic vessels. Finally, discolored pigment cells disappear from the skin, which remains free of unpleasing spots or freckles.
Depilation or skin treatment using a laser beam requires that pores of the skin or discolored pigment cells be exposed to the very hot narrow beam of light with accuracy because otherwise, a satisfactory treatment can be hardly attained.
A conventional laser projector, however, prevents location of such pores or discolored pigment cells by sight because they are hidden by the laser projector.
Therefore, the laser beam is apt to hit-the target with a reduced probability, causing the surrounding area on the skin to be exposed unnecessarily to the laser beam. Such a near miss is the cause for damaging the surrounding area on the skin.
Also, it is possible that the laser beam starts projecting before the laser beam projector is applied to the skin, and there is the possibility that the laser beam will strike the person""s eye.
The object of the present invention is to provide a laser beam projector equipped with a CCD camera for taking a picture of a right spot on the skin, thereby permitting location of the target on the skin by sight.
To attain the object noted a laser beam projector is constructed to include: a head to be applied to the skin, the head having a switch attached at its tip for detecting that the head is in contact with the skin, a laser beam aperture formed in its tip and a through hole which opens to the laser beam aperture; a CCD camera situated to be directed at the through hole; a semiconductor laser source placed in the head so that the laser beam may pass through a condenser lens ahead of the laser source to coverge at the laser beam aperture; and an illumination source situated in the head to illuminate the laser beam aperture.
A laser beam projector is constructed according to claim 2 as follows: it further includes, in its casing, a drive circuit for the semiconductor laser source and a video signal processing circuit for the CCD camera.
A laser beam projector is constructed according to claim 3 as follows: it further comprises a connector for providing a home television with the images taken by the CCD camera.
A laser beam projector is constructed according to claim 4 as follows: it further comprises a cooling fan placed behind the heat sink.